Precious

This is the story of Precious Jones, a sixteen year old illiterate black girl who has never been out of Harlem. She is pregnant by her own father for the second time, and kicked out of school when that pregnancy becomes obvious. Placed in an alternative teaching programme, she learns to read and write. This is Precious's diary, in which she honestly records her relationshiThis is the story of Precious Jones, a sixteen year old illiterate black girl who has never been out of Harlem. She is pregnant by her own father for the second time, and kicked out of school when that pregnancy becomes obvious. Placed in an alternative teaching programme, she learns to read and write. This is Precious's diary, in which she honestly records her relationships and her life....more

DestinyFrom what I have read of it I can honestly say that it depends on what you feel best for your children/relative (whoever you're going to present it…moreFrom what I have read of it I can honestly say that it depends on what you feel best for your children/relative (whoever you're going to present it to). If you feel like 13-14 is mature enough then go for it. It is quite explicit material, but hell most 13-14 year olds read worse things on the internet or discuss worse in the hallways of schools. (less)

Community Reviews

I HATED this book. Don't get me wrong, I understand that horrendous things happen to people on a daily basis and that there are triumphant stories of those who have risen from the wreckage and are now living as icons of survival.

But this book is not like that, really. This book is more like "Listen, Precious has been raped and now I want to rape you too." And after you read the book, you need therapy and you feel like Precious is not really okay like the book tried to say she is at the end.

OtherI HATED this book. Don't get me wrong, I understand that horrendous things happen to people on a daily basis and that there are triumphant stories of those who have risen from the wreckage and are now living as icons of survival.

But this book is not like that, really. This book is more like "Listen, Precious has been raped and now I want to rape you too." And after you read the book, you need therapy and you feel like Precious is not really okay like the book tried to say she is at the end.

Other things that ticked me off:*The rape details. I GET IT! It was heinous and disgusting but I really think the author wanted everyone who read this book to feel raped along with Precious so that we can just - feel raped. As readers, we can't be trusted by Sapphire to be empathetic enough on our own

*The fact that Precious enjoyed being raped. Even more abominable (and unbelievable) especially the way she described "enjoying" it. Ugh! Thankfully, I wasn't near a bridge when I read that part because I would have certainly jumped off of one.

*The writing was intentionally horrific and inconsistent. If you want to write in illiterate form so that the readers can hear Precious' true voice, fine. Just be consistent about it.

*Precious hated (or didn't understand) Gays and made ignorant comments about them. Umm, your Dad raped you and you think Gay people are your problem?

Well, this is the author's agenda you see? She is Bisexual and wants to point out that Gay people are not demonic sinners like Precious' "straight" father.

*Precious BLAMES THE WHITE MAN for the reasons why her Daddy is a drug-addict rapist.

I could go on and on...but I feel sick so I'll just stop.

This book gets zero stars from me, but zero isn't an option.

EDITED TO ADD:

I am seeing comments declaring that if an author can make you go through the character's trauma with her, then she is doing a good job.

I disagree with this sentiment. The author's job is to express what the character is experiencing without personally attacking YOU as the READER. And this is what Push delivers, a personal attack, instead of gathering my interest to help girls like Precious. After all, what is the purpose of such a novel if not to create awareness of such heinous events and propel this awareness to form organizations that educate girls like Precious on understanding that what they are experiencing is wrong and criminal; and there is a way out?

Forcing the reader to feel raped simply does just that - abuses the reader. It's easy to just write down a bunch of vulgar details and call it "the realness."

Instead of feeling sorry for Precious, I felt sorry for myself for having ever even touched this book.

Having said that, I am an avid financial supporter of PreventChildAbuse.org and not because I read this book. I'd rather do something about this problem than read about it in a novel, or watch it in a movie as some form of entertainment.

MaryI disagree with your opinion of the book, BUT I definitely loved hearing your perspective of it, and it really got me thinking about the book more thaI disagree with your opinion of the book, BUT I definitely loved hearing your perspective of it, and it really got me thinking about the book more than I did prior to reading your review. Thank you :)...more
Aug 29, 2014 03:38PM

NeaI don't 100% agree, but I definitely understand your review. As an empath, I feel the pain of others very easily; therefore I don't need a slew of sicI don't 100% agree, but I definitely understand your review. As an empath, I feel the pain of others very easily; therefore I don't need a slew of sick details to emotionally connect me with a character. In fact, the details make me physically ill. I can barely read books that gently discuss the horrors Precious faced. Adding in every detail and sick thought makes it 100 times worse. It leaves me extremely drained, depressed, disgusted, etc. Still, I realize this isn't the case for everyone. Many, many readers love to be drawn completely into every terrifying, gut-wrenching experience. People want to cry and have their hearts ripped out as they read. They want shock, awe, pain, rage, fear... every emotion on the scale. In fact, they rate the book higher if the author achieves this goal.

I'm sure the author is aware of this and she wrote for the majority. She wrote for the people who can handle the details, shed a few tears, and walk away without feeling completely destroyed. Personally, I couldn't even finish the book. I gave it 1 star....more
Oct 05, 2014 10:04PM

5 stars for creating a really unique heroine5 stars for an enjoyable, engrossing story7 stars for beautiful use of language (yeah mutherfuckers, sometimes that word is the only word that fits)

I didn't put much faith in an author named 'Sapphire'. More urban fiction: ghetto girl's acrylics scratch eyes out of baby father's new crack-addicted girlfriend, I thought. (Not that I don't quite enjoy urban fiction, Zane is quite good and very spicy). I couldn't have been more wrong. The writing in the b5 stars for creating a really unique heroine5 stars for an enjoyable, engrossing story7 stars for beautiful use of language (yeah mutherfuckers, sometimes that word is the only word that fits)

I didn't put much faith in an author named 'Sapphire'. More urban fiction: ghetto girl's acrylics scratch eyes out of baby father's new crack-addicted girlfriend, I thought. (Not that I don't quite enjoy urban fiction, Zane is quite good and very spicy). I couldn't have been more wrong. The writing in the book is a joy to read. It isn't, as most good writing is, just a vehicle to convey the material as much as a vibrant and necessary component of the story. The literary device of the writing changing, opening, blooming along with the story is remarkably well-executed.

The story is really of how the system has failed those at the very bottom of society. How no one cares about those who fall through the cracks so long as they do it quietly. It's very much a diatribe against an America that so many blacks feel they had no place in forming and no place within as a right. The racism and other prejudices are that of poverty. Lack of experience and gossip being the main vehicles for knowledge rather than books and education. In other words, the racism is not at all deep-seated, it's something that can easily be changed for the better.

It is a wonderful book on every level, not just the writing, or the story, or the tremendous creation of Precious - antithesis of a heroine, a 250lb girl who describes herself as too dark and ugly, and whose taste in clothes is appalling (but hopeful, fluorescent yellow leggings and a leather jacket) but also the ending. There isn't one, it's in your mind. And perhaps in how you might see your home town after reading it, and maybe also in who you vote for on your local council. It's really you that can make the ending....more

Thank you. I think the movie is wonderful too, Queen LatifAnna wrote: "Perfect review, well done. Not sure how the movie could do,what the book does."

Thank you. I think the movie is wonderful too, Queen Latifah and Mariah Carey act their hearts out to bring a reality to the story. I do understand though that you thought the book was better. If the director's vision is not yours then it's always going to come off second best to you....more
Jul 20, 2013 08:32PM

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here. I can't remember exactly when I threw this book across the room for the first time - was it when Precious' mom beats her? when she steals food just to eat? when her father rapes her and she gets pregnant? when he rapes her again and she gets pregnant again and the baby has down-syndrome? when she finds out the baby has AIDS? when she finds out SHE has AIDS? when she finally learns to read and then begins writing lots of broken poetry, all of which is included in the book? I've never read a book I can't remember exactly when I threw this book across the room for the first time - was it when Precious' mom beats her? when she steals food just to eat? when her father rapes her and she gets pregnant? when he rapes her again and she gets pregnant again and the baby has down-syndrome? when she finds out the baby has AIDS? when she finds out SHE has AIDS? when she finally learns to read and then begins writing lots of broken poetry, all of which is included in the book? I've never read a book which I felt so exploited human missery; Saphine wields it like a sledge-hammer to the reader's skull....more

Lilian CullyDr. Lawrence God will continue to bless you more abundantly, for the good works you are doing in peoples life, I will keep on writing and posting testDr. Lawrence God will continue to bless you more abundantly, for the good works you are doing in peoples life, I will keep on writing and posting testimonies about you on the Internet, I’m Helen Tolbert, I was a HIV patient, I saw a blog on how Dr. Lawrence cured someone, I contacted him and also got my healing, kindly email him now on drlawrencespelltemple@gmail.com or call him +2348143988536...more
Jul 27, 2014 12:27AM

There is a debate (or at least an ongoing conversation) among teachers who help college students hone their reading skills. What exactly, do you have the students read? The great works of literature, such as Homer, Emerson (yes, Vicky, I am thinking about our conversation the other night)? Do you have them read more modern works? How do you teach reading when you also have to teach reference? The best example of this is when my students were reading an essay about wetlands and thought the word cThere is a debate (or at least an ongoing conversation) among teachers who help college students hone their reading skills. What exactly, do you have the students read? The great works of literature, such as Homer, Emerson (yes, Vicky, I am thinking about our conversation the other night)? Do you have them read more modern works? How do you teach reading when you also have to teach reference? The best example of this is when my students were reading an essay about wetlands and thought the word crane only referred to the building machine. They couldn't figure out why it was flying. And no, my students are not stupid, and some are well traveled. They just don't read, usually because school has failed them.

When I teach pre-college level reading, I make my students do book reports. They can choose the books. This surprises them, and most of my students will read something by Terry Woods, like The Dutch books (a series about a drug dealer). One student was surprised that I let her read them. I just wanted her to read. Literature, she can get in my class. Her last teacher had said she could read whatever she wanted for a book report, until she brought in the Dutch book. Last year, one of my 101 level students asked me to read some of the books that she reads. After all, she said, I was making them read Dracula. I said yes. For those of you who live in a big city, her books would be those books you can get from a street vendor, sometimes from a bookstore. What has been called Urban African American fiction. These books deal with life in the inner city and are usually, though not always, published by small firms.

Out of three books my student loaned me, two could have used more than just spell-check, one was little more than badly written fan fiction; one I understood the appeal of (though the writing needed polish), and the last, by Sister Souljah, was good. Sister Souljah's novel aside, the books, in short, were not what us "literary" teachers read. The flaws were far too many and the plot was eye brow rising, and did explain why my students make some of the mistakes they do.

Yet this type of work is important because it reflects something about society.

Yet this genre also includes a book such as Precious, a book I will use in my classes.

The book is not an easy read for two reasons. One is the subject matter. Precious is abused by both her father and her mother. The second reason is the early spelling. What Sapphire boldly does is capturing Precious's voice, and captures it exactly. Precious cannot read; therefore, she cannot spell. Unlike two of the books I mentioned above, the errors in Precious are important. They let the reader really know Precious, and come as close to her life as is possible. What is more, the writing improves as Precious changes her life. Sapphire is using language on many different levels. Using language in the strictest terms of communication, and she deserves award after award for this.

If the spelling was perfect, the book would lack half of its impact, if not more.

Some idiots, and I use this word intentionally, will say a story like this could never happen.

BULLSH**!

I have taught people who came from where Precious comes from. It is shocking what your students will sometimes tell you. It is even more shocking when the student's next comment is about how impressed she is with you because you went straight to college after high school. Yet, the student is going to school while working two jobs, is a single mother, and has usually come though a violent relationship (or two).

That's impressive. Not me.

What Sapphire gives the reader is a true story. An uplifting story with a good dose of sadness, but a story that many teachers will know, will recognize, and will be nodding their heads over. This is far better than those feel good Hollywood teacher movies. This, like Entre les murs(The Class), is what life and teaching are.Additionally, the action in the classroom rings true. While the whole book is told from Precious’ point of view, the actions of Miz Rain and Precious’ classmates ring true. Even JoAnn who disappears from the class rings true. Any teacher will tell you that there are students like that in the classroom. The sense of cohesion and togetherness that a good class can achieve is realistically drawn. This is not the Hollywood movie where the white suburban teacher comes into an inner city class room fresh from the suburbs. This is not the story where after a tough first two weeks, she magically touches her students who all start behaving well and gets scholarships to Princeton (or some other Ivy League school). If this was a Hollywood story, it would end with Precious, now a successful something, returning to her old school and thanking the (white) principal and (white) math teacher who arranged for her to join the alternative school.

No, thankfully, it’s not that type of story.

Classes don’t work like that. Teachers have bad days. Students have bad days. True, sometimes there will be that shocking light, where everything comes together. But for days, weeks, months before that, there is hard work. Hard repetitive work, for both the teacher and student. Sapphire catches this.

What stands out the most, however, is Precious herself. While the reader feels pity and horror for her, Precious doesn’t demand that pity. Compared to other books where the female protagonist is horribly abused or mistreated (or in the case of The Lovely Bones, killed) and gets the reader’s pity though the suffering of victimhood, Precious doesn’t do that. We see her angry and disruptive. She curses. She has something. Nice is the word you want to use, but it doesn’t really fit. She is, in fact, a victim, though to call her this cheapens her. Instead, Precious gets us on her side by simply existing. By stating in a matter fact tone of voice what is, and yet because of her frankness, we admire and like her. We root for her simply because she earns our respect. Despite the fact that her story is not ours, there are the roots of everyman, everywoman, in her. We all sometimes feel the way Precious sometimes feels.

PUSH exceeds the limits of my understanding. I am a white male; moderately affluent; educated; healthy; and able to say that my foundation from my past has allowed me to become the person I am today. Precious Jones is none of these things. If anything, she is the antithesis of what I am.

This is not her fault.

Blame birth. Chance. Possibility.

But what I have does not compare to what Precious Jones has. She is a fighter; a survivor of incest; HIV positive; beyond impoverished; and yet, hope burnsPUSH exceeds the limits of my understanding. I am a white male; moderately affluent; educated; healthy; and able to say that my foundation from my past has allowed me to become the person I am today. Precious Jones is none of these things. If anything, she is the antithesis of what I am.

This is not her fault.

Blame birth. Chance. Possibility.

But what I have does not compare to what Precious Jones has. She is a fighter; a survivor of incest; HIV positive; beyond impoverished; and yet, hope burns eternal within her. No matter how the cards may be stacked against her, she fights.

If anything, Precious Jones and her story illustrate how savagely we precipitate violence upon each other. And this violence is not born of strangers...this violence comes across the breakfast nook or the bedroom or the school yard; from people you thought you could trust.

Admittedly, I will never know what it is like to walk in her shoes. For me to even feel empathy for Precious feels like I am being hypocritical. Me wincing at the passages does not change the event. Me reading this story, as fictionalized as it may be, does not change the fact that somewhere a Precious is experiencing the violence and shame and suffering that no person should ever have to endure. For some person tonight, this story is real.

Sapphire has done her part. She has relayed a tale of woe. And as much as I could be critical about the overwritten parts, the parts that scream look at me, stare, become aghast, I will never forget that this story is entirely plausible.

Perhaps that is my role in this story. Perhaps my only job was to be witness to the vile nature of humanity. I have seen, now. But it doesn't change the fact that I can still close my eyes, kiss my children, get into my SUV and go to the park, make a steak, go on vacation, make love to a woman that loves me back, and forget that people like Precious will never get to do these things.

I encountered this when it was excerpted in the New Yorker around the time of its 1997 publication, when I was a senior in high school. Reading the New Yorker piece effectively shattered my skull, bludgeoning my brain into a tenderized and confused lump of quaking grey gristle.

Push is written in the voice of an impoverished, illiterate, uncared for, despised, abused, obese, neglected, friendless, and seriously fucked teenage black girl living in 1980s Harlem -- ground zero, at that time, of raciI encountered this when it was excerpted in the New Yorker around the time of its 1997 publication, when I was a senior in high school. Reading the New Yorker piece effectively shattered my skull, bludgeoning my brain into a tenderized and confused lump of quaking grey gristle.

Push is written in the voice of an impoverished, illiterate, uncared for, despised, abused, obese, neglected, friendless, and seriously fucked teenage black girl living in 1980s Harlem -- ground zero, at that time, of racialized poverty, the crack epidemic, AIDS, and pretty much every other attendant inner-city nightmare you can think of. The main character's voice is so violently affecting that I lack adequate words to describe what reading this was like for me. For several days afterwards, I thought of it constantly -- I mean constantly, from when I woke up in the morning until I went to bed at night, and nearly every moment in between. Sapphire's writing gave me the uniquely visceral experience of having left my own life and consciousness to inhabit the body and mind of an individual whose experiences -- polar opposite of my own -- strained the limits of imaginable human suffering. I have never read anything else in my entire life that so completely and effectively forced my mind into occupying that of a fictional character, let alone one so completely different from me in every single respect, save gender and nationality. I felt, while reading this, that I lost all critical sense of distance and observation, and actually in a very significant way became the character Precious. And this experience of becoming her was so horrific and terrifying that I likely experienced symptoms of what mental health providers refer to as "vicarious trauma" -- the result of bearing witness to another person's experience of intensely traumatic events.

Okay, okay, so you get it already: this book had a huge impact on me. So why only four stars?

The novel was unable to sustain the intensity of the shorter New Yorker piece, and had several significant flaws. For one thing, Push seemed to me at the time to suffer from what is known as "Jude-the-Obscure Syndrome," i.e., the ceaseless litany of Precious's sufferings started to seem almost ridiculous after awhile: she's not just raped by her dad, she's also raped by her mom; of course Precious gets AIDS -- and so does her baby.... on and on and on. I haven't reread this since it came out -- mostly because I'm scared it wouldn't be so amazing as I remember -- but I'm curious if I'd respond differently to this after working for several years in social services, now that I've seen for myself that in fact -- who knew?! -- some people's lives really are exactly this bad....

The other problem with this book is that it displays several diagnostic criteria for "Social Novel Disorder," which is to say, the power of the narrative is undermined by a sense of the author's (understandable) agenda, and of a rather artificial plot trajectory in which Precious encounters a Sapphire-like (it seemed to me at the time) social worker and thereby begins her healing and empowerment, learning in the process to read and to surrender her misguided and intolerant homophobic views. Of course, I might appreciate this optimistic ending a lot more now than I did at 17, when it struck me as inorganic and corny.

I have to reread this novel, and I will soon. I'm very curious to see whether the writing still exerts the same power and force I remember, and also whether my own aging and experiences in the years since will have changed my response to what seemed like serious flaws on my first read....more

I was going to write up a Celebrity Death Match between Sapphire and Dave Pelzer for the title of Most Abused Child Ever, but on second thoughts, silence is golden.

One last thing. I remember reading Push and watching The Wire during the same week had a strange effect on me which for a white English male was not a good thing. A work colleague asked me if Push was any good and I barked at him bitch be messin my mind and shit .

I honestly doubt I would have picked this novel up had it not been recommended to me or (as was the case) required as part of a class. While I enjoy "coming of age" stories and stories of overcoming hardship, the overarching themes and situations in this book are off-putting to say the least.

The professor made it very clear that the first chapter (~40 pages) was going to be very difficult to read for a number of reasons. Some students were put off by the spelling which was initially a little strI honestly doubt I would have picked this novel up had it not been recommended to me or (as was the case) required as part of a class. While I enjoy "coming of age" stories and stories of overcoming hardship, the overarching themes and situations in this book are off-putting to say the least.

The professor made it very clear that the first chapter (~40 pages) was going to be very difficult to read for a number of reasons. Some students were put off by the spelling which was initially a little strange, but I have fun with "dialect" books with similar spelling or grammar issues, so this didn't bother me much. The vulgarity was definitely over the top and very harsh...it did make me cringe a bit, but I pushed through it.

What was the hardest for me, and likely for most readers, was the absolute raw and brutal honesty with which the abuse was treated in this novel. Since it's presented in the synopsis and the first few pages, I don't consider it a spoiler to tell you that this is the story of a teenage girl (ironically named "Precious") who has been raped by her father for the majority of her life (seriously...the 'majority' being since toddler-hood). She is now giving birth to her second child/sibling by her father. Her mother is physically, verbally and emotionally abusive as well. They live in a welfare situation where Precious is essentially a slave to her mother's whims.

The first chapter (and additional passages scattered throughout the book) are graphic, raw, and absolutely stunning. I came away from the reading disgusted at 'humanity.'

The writing style is in first person and thus is very closely tied to the main character. The language used is poetically and articulately placed on the page in such a way to make Precious a very vivid character who is very real. Despite her difficulties with language (despite starting the novel in 9th grade with passing grades, she is completely illiterate and likely hasn't learned anything in school ever), the text portrays her emotions and motivations beautifully. The descriptions of the world around her are striking and vivid as well.

This is very much NOT a book for children. The themes involved could be very eye-opening for teenagers, but because of their presentation and the vulgarity and graphic themes, I would not recommend this to young teens...and not even to older teens unless I felt they were sufficiently mature.

Honestly, I have a hard time even recommending this to most adults. There are some that I could confidently recommend it to (social workers, secondary education teachers, etc.). However, to the general population, I would be very nervous to recommend this book because it is so blunt and raw. At the same time, I can't "not" recommend it...or rather, if somebody (with adequate maturity/sensitivities) picked up the book and asked if it was worth reading, my answer is YES.

This is a hard book to get through due to emotional and moral sensitivities. However, it raises some excellent 'action points' to the reader to think about the state of "humanity" and the "system" (welfare, schools, etc).

It's not something I'll read again and again...but it's something that I'll think about for a long time.

Poignant and unapologetically raw. Precious' ability to keep fighting against such dire odds both amazed and inspired me. This is a story I will never forget, and I truly look forward to the film adaptation.

This is one of those books that's so real (hell, I taught a kid like this at an alternative school in Chicago) it'll never get into a high school curriculum. It's that good, that authentic, that "dangerous". I avoid the hype around vogue books and authors, but this one delivered the goods.The language is definitely vulgar, violent and hyper-sexual, but the voice...my goodness! I'd never compare a book to "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn", but it is ironic that Sapphire mentions Twain's great bookThis is one of those books that's so real (hell, I taught a kid like this at an alternative school in Chicago) it'll never get into a high school curriculum. It's that good, that authentic, that "dangerous". I avoid the hype around vogue books and authors, but this one delivered the goods.The language is definitely vulgar, violent and hyper-sexual, but the voice...my goodness! I'd never compare a book to "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn", but it is ironic that Sapphire mentions Twain's great book because the use of voice "Push"/"Precious" is incredible. Generally you'll see an author establish a voice for their protaganist very early and then you'll hear it fade away, maybe arise later in the action. But like Huck, Precious Jones never loses what makes her Precious - opinionated, insecure, thoughtful, unapologetic and curious, and growing...always growing. Maybe she's more like Huck than I thought.I actually listened to this book through iTunes and the narrator was the best I've ever encountered in a fiction book-on-CD. I highly recommend experiencing "Precious" this way....more

I love this book. I hate this book. I'm a binge reader -- I can swallow whole a 900 page novel from Friday evening to Sunday afternoon. It took me 3 weeks to read this huge short book. I had to put it down when I felt how little Precious thought of herself. I had to put it down when her mother admits her role in her child's abuse. I had to put it down so I could think of ways to kill this fictional pitiful girl's fictional stepfather. He is, as the Sweet Potato Queens would call him, "A Blood SpI love this book. I hate this book. I'm a binge reader -- I can swallow whole a 900 page novel from Friday evening to Sunday afternoon. It took me 3 weeks to read this huge short book. I had to put it down when I felt how little Precious thought of herself. I had to put it down when her mother admits her role in her child's abuse. I had to put it down so I could think of ways to kill this fictional pitiful girl's fictional stepfather. He is, as the Sweet Potato Queens would call him, "A Blood Spud." All I know is I kept putting it down to bawl, to mourn the loss of every child who is born to monsters like Mary and that man. The fact that it is "just" fiction doesn't matter a lick. The reality base for this fiction is haunting and painful. I hope I am like Miz Rain to the kids who come into my classroom in that kind of pain. ...more

Beautiful and devastating. I don't mind monsters, rotting corpses or exploding heads, but this book proves my theory that no fictional horror can ever top the horrible things human beings do to each other in real life. The narrator, Precious, is abused in unspeakable ways by her parents, but she is also the smartest, funniest, most insightful and vibrant voice I've read in a very long time. In spite of being violated, she manages to soar above it all, telling it like it is and demonstrating justBeautiful and devastating. I don't mind monsters, rotting corpses or exploding heads, but this book proves my theory that no fictional horror can ever top the horrible things human beings do to each other in real life. The narrator, Precious, is abused in unspeakable ways by her parents, but she is also the smartest, funniest, most insightful and vibrant voice I've read in a very long time. In spite of being violated, she manages to soar above it all, telling it like it is and demonstrating just how powerful a person can be when she educates herself and makes peace with her demons. Also, her story shows just how much positive influence a good teacher and the sharing of the written word, can have....more

I feel fifty-fifty about the novel, PUSH. It tells an inspiring story about how reading and writing can save you from any situation you might encounter, no matter how tough. As an English teacher, I have to support that message! The characters, however, are not as well-developed as they could be. Sometimes while reading this book, I felt that Precious kept encountering more and more obstacles just so that the author, Sapphire, could play with readers' emotions. I also felt that she used curse woI feel fifty-fifty about the novel, PUSH. It tells an inspiring story about how reading and writing can save you from any situation you might encounter, no matter how tough. As an English teacher, I have to support that message! The characters, however, are not as well-developed as they could be. Sometimes while reading this book, I felt that Precious kept encountering more and more obstacles just so that the author, Sapphire, could play with readers' emotions. I also felt that she used curse words just because she wanted readers to feel stunned. I would recommend this book for the story, but I'm not completely sure about the delivery of that story. ...more

This is an important novel, though it lacks many of the pretensions that would convince us so.

Push, now known as the book that inspired last year's much-renowned hit film Precious, is the first-person account of the teenage life of Claireece Precious Jones, a Harlem teenager who as of writing this account has given birth to two children, a boy and a girl, both products of her rape at the hands of her biological father. In terms of Push's social narrative, it only goes downhill from there: PreciThis is an important novel, though it lacks many of the pretensions that would convince us so.

Push, now known as the book that inspired last year's much-renowned hit film Precious, is the first-person account of the teenage life of Claireece Precious Jones, a Harlem teenager who as of writing this account has given birth to two children, a boy and a girl, both products of her rape at the hands of her biological father. In terms of Push's social narrative, it only goes downhill from there: Precious is further abused (sexually and otherwise) by her mother, and furthermore by "the system" -- some gross intersection of the Welfare State, the policies of social workers, and the American education system. Precious enrolls in an alternative school, and the lessons she learns there about language, learning and self-expression are what, ultimately, change her life.

Context, here, is very important. Sapphire, the novel's author, published the novel in the mid-90s but chose as its setting the late 80s. The AIDS crisis, characterized as it was by a demonization of queer people, poor people and people of color, was booming in American media. As well, Ronald Reagan had by then already inserted the "Welfare Queen" into the cultural lexicon. Indeed, for most of the period during which Push takes place, Ronald Reagan is president.

Precious is (or would be, if not for circumstances that I won't reveal here) a welfare beneficiary. She has HIV. She lives in a halfway house. If we're thinking in terms of social commentary, certainly Sapphire has a point to make, here.

But that's not what makes this an important novel. In its own quiet way, Push manages to say as much about literary history and form (and especially African American literary history and form) as it does about the troubling social circumstances that constitute the world -- that is, our world -- in which girls like Precious live. Yet it does so without mapping those literary conceits onto its characters in a way that might invalidate the the truth of those experiences. This is a novel whose language emanates outward from its subject, rather than mapping language onto that subject for the sake of the reader's understanding. Precious's tendency to compare her mind and the images and memories therein to a television set, for example, and her illustrations of what she sees and watches in her mind might lend themselves to the easy categorizations of consumerism and thus postmodernism, and yet the novel isn't really concerned with being about literature or form in that way.

The narrative feels almost disappointingly incomplete, in fact -- there is no true sense of resolution here, no sense of climactic feeling for the reader -- precisely because making a cogent "narrative" of Precious's life would bring awareness to narrative as a literary conceit largely built for readers and not the subjects therein. Sapphire never allows her book to distract from the fact that Precious's account isn't really for the "reader," but for the girl herself. Precious comes alive, in that way. The book is repetitive, even monotonous at times; its images and references are limited because Precious is limited. She doesn't tell us everything -- doesn't give all the dirty details, in a way that may prove frustrating. But a reader-friendly narrative in this context would seem almost perverse. In a novel that is largely concerned with the consequences of social perversion, we might bid the author thanks for resisting the urge to make perverse voyeurs of the novel's readers.

One of the biggest supporters of the film adaptation of this novel was none other than Barbara Bush, who was moved by the film's (and thus the novel's) emphasis on literacy as a way of engendering social freedom. She's onto something, though this is naive. In a sense, Push is about what novels by black American authors have always been about: language, representation, freedom. Consider the ways by which black Americans became English-language literate, in American history. Consider the time, the need, the circumstances. Is it any wonder, then, that Sapphire chooses literacy as the site of her social commentary?

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.The story is a typical ghetto tragedy of a young uneducated girl who's raped by her father and severely abused (also raped) by her mother. She ends up having two children by her dad, one of which who has Downs Syndrome. She also sadly ends up contacting the HIV virus from him as well. I feel the author took the easy way out in making the book too shockingly vulgar, which is the only thing I felt held this novel together. The writer definitely tried too hard in that aspect of the story, and I wasThe story is a typical ghetto tragedy of a young uneducated girl who's raped by her father and severely abused (also raped) by her mother. She ends up having two children by her dad, one of which who has Downs Syndrome. She also sadly ends up contacting the HIV virus from him as well. I feel the author took the easy way out in making the book too shockingly vulgar, which is the only thing I felt held this novel together. The writer definitely tried too hard in that aspect of the story, and I wasn't really impressed by it. It's a shame the Philadelphia Inquire proclaimed this book may find a place in the African-American literary canon. If that's true, What does this say about African-American literature? not very much. This story-line has been done so many times in literature and especially in film. I think people are more like 'oooh this book is so good because her father rapes her and she says she likes it'. I myself am not so easily convinced.Also Precious Jones' ignorant talk sounded more like bad ghetto Yorkshire than a girl who is simply ignorant and uneducated. Just because she couldn't read or write doesn't mean she shouldn't be able to speak. I knew people who grew up in bad situations who couldn't read or write, they spoke fine. The writer makes her talk like she's been living in a basement for 16 years. One thing I did like about the story is how the teacher had each of girls create a private journal as a way for them to communicate back and forth and express themselves about difficult issues they weren't comfortable talking about face to face with their teacher or counselors/social workers. The journals provided the girls with a sense of anonymity they needed in order to talk about the horrendous things they had to endure in their day to day home life.

I would love to enjoy a good piece of urban literature, but this was so far from it.

Ivan MorenoTo be honest this book is meant to be that way this is why you read the back cover first. Yeah this book is disturbing and intense but the Beauty of hTo be honest this book is meant to be that way this is why you read the back cover first. Yeah this book is disturbing and intense but the Beauty of how Precious over comes her past really pays off...more
Jan 20, 2015 03:08PM

Opening Line: "I was left back when I was twelve because I had a baby for my fahver."

Precious Jones is an angry, obese and illiterate sixteen year old girl who has suffered horrific abuse at the hands of both her parents. Now pregnant with her second child (by her father) Precious is an invisible statistic within both the education and social service systems, just one more of Harlem’s casualties and a number that her school would rather advance and graduate than help. With the meeting of an extrOpening Line: "I was left back when I was twelve because I had a baby for my fahver."

Precious Jones is an angry, obese and illiterate sixteen year old girl who has suffered horrific abuse at the hands of both her parents. Now pregnant with her second child (by her father) Precious is an invisible statistic within both the education and social service systems, just one more of Harlem’s casualties and a number that her school would rather advance and graduate than help. With the meeting of an extraordinary teacher Precious is finally "seen" and starts to receive the help and encouragement that she so desperately deserves. Learning not only how to read and write about her life but how to make it on her own for the first time.

At 139 pages Push was a short but tough read for me on many different levels and I found myself putting it aside more than once so I could regroup. The subject matter is beyond shocking, at times nauseating and definitely not for the feint of heart. And unfortunately just when you think it couldn’t possibly get any sadder, it does. Precious’ story has also been written in the vernacular and requires some deciphering to be able to understand what she’s trying to say.

Through journal entries (and some flashbacks) between Precious and her teacher Ms Rain, Precious tells us her story. Including; illegible writing (with translations) incorrect spelling and grammar, slang, swearing, alphabet recitals, poems and corrections from Ms Rain. As her reading, writing and self esteem issues improve so does the writing in the book, so that towards the end Precious is talking about GEDs and college and I’m enjoying her progress in a very real way. Despite everything Precious’s spirit is very real and you can’t help but cheer for her and hope for the best.

PUSH is the book that the recent academy award winning film "Precious" was based upon and although I haven't seen the movie yet, out of the two I would recommend the movie. Cheers!...more

Disturbing, but worth it. I read more than half of it before going to sleep the other night and had bad dreams. Maybe I distanced myself from it emotionally when I picked it up again, but it didn't hold the same power over me when I read the rest. Perhaps that's the danger in a overwhelming topic such as this; our minds push away something so difficult -- our own form of survival, so just imagine what the people who endure the things Precious did have to do to survive. We become i3 and 1/2 stars

Disturbing, but worth it. I read more than half of it before going to sleep the other night and had bad dreams. Maybe I distanced myself from it emotionally when I picked it up again, but it didn't hold the same power over me when I read the rest. Perhaps that's the danger in a overwhelming topic such as this; our minds push away something so difficult -- our own form of survival, so just imagine what the people who endure the things Precious did have to do to survive. We become inured to hearing about such things, and we need to remember these are children who are being abused and not helped.

I do feel like the author had an 'agenda,' but that doesn't take away from what she accomplished, or mean that what she wrote about isn't true -- I know it is. We probably can never be reminded enough that these are individuals, and not just staggering numbers that have fallen through the cracks, many never to be helped.

The way Precious finds her own voice (and sense of self) through writing (and reading) reminded me of Elizabeth Dewberry's Many Things Have Happened Since He Died, which I loved; and Precious's realization that she is not alone in having such devastating things happen to her reminded me of Wally Lamb's She's Come Undone....more

Teresarhea wrote: "Honestly, I only remember one ending and I don't remember if they were similar and that's why or I just remember one and don't remember wrhea wrote: "Honestly, I only remember one ending and I don't remember if they were similar and that's why or I just remember one and don't remember what it was from. Sorry."

This person thought the ending of the movie was too sweet or sentimental or something like that, and I didn't find that of the book's ending, so that's why I was wondering. Might just be a matter of interpretation....more
Jul 01, 2011 10:27AM

rheaTeresa wrote: "rhea wrote: "Honestly, I only remember one ending and I don't remember if they were similar and that's why or I just remember one and dTeresa wrote: "rhea wrote: "Honestly, I only remember one ending and I don't remember if they were similar and that's why or I just remember one and don't remember what it was from. Sorry."

This person thought t..."

if I remember correctly the ending was basically the same and the added a part to tie it together. I was still crying from the saddness of it all even if it was sweet. I'm only thinking this because I tried to google the difference and I think I know what they did. I'll email you....more
Jul 01, 2011 12:26PM

This is a hard book to tackle due to its subject matter (incest, abuse, disease, poverty and more), but I was prepared for that and I found it to be sad but not heavy, if that makes sense. And I love that the writing style immerses you in the character's head completely and without apology, making it a unique read, which is hard to find these days. My disappointment comes in the ending because we, the readers, aren't taken to our destination but rather dropped off on the road towards it. I wanteThis is a hard book to tackle due to its subject matter (incest, abuse, disease, poverty and more), but I was prepared for that and I found it to be sad but not heavy, if that makes sense. And I love that the writing style immerses you in the character's head completely and without apology, making it a unique read, which is hard to find these days. My disappointment comes in the ending because we, the readers, aren't taken to our destination but rather dropped off on the road towards it. I wanted the book to be longer and more complete, and I have a feeling that, although I haven't seen the movie yet, the film version of "Precious" will create that better end structure I was left craving from the novel. The book is ultimately very provocative while exposing the details of a reality that are all too common in this world but rarely laid out so bluntly....more

I really like this book. It was about this girl who gets raped by her dad,her mom does not belive her. She gets abused. i would recomend this book to kids and adults. But in my opion this book is most likly for adults because it has adulat language.

-Definitely not for the squeamish or those who don't like harsh truths, sexual situations and cursing-

This book is packed with a heavy message that Sapphire drives home superbly. It was an easy read, but heavy in its own right.

"Push" rips you from your safe little cozy life and drops you into a concrete jungle that forces you to feel and experience life alongside Precious whose life, when we meet her, has been truly destroyed. Precious Jones was born a victim, and not by her own declaration. Pre-Definitely not for the squeamish or those who don't like harsh truths, sexual situations and cursing-

This book is packed with a heavy message that Sapphire drives home superbly. It was an easy read, but heavy in its own right.

"Push" rips you from your safe little cozy life and drops you into a concrete jungle that forces you to feel and experience life alongside Precious whose life, when we meet her, has been truly destroyed. Precious Jones was born a victim, and not by her own declaration. Precious Jones was born to an abusive mother who beat her and enslaved her to do her bidding, and a father who sexually abused and impregnated her. Her parents failed her in far too many ways.

We shadow Precious Jones as she works her way out of the vile life she lived. In spite of Precious Jones vicious and violent childhood, she perseveres. She goes from a child who couldn’t read to a teen who learns to read at an eighth grade level, and is determined to pass the G.E.D. and advance her education through college.

What I liked about Push is how Sapphire, the author, retained the integrity of the character by letting Precious Jones tell her story in her own words. It is written in the voice of Precious and I found it awkward at first to have to interpret the various misspellings and language issues. And yet, I wanted to experience the story, and the way it is written MAKES the story, and her voice all that stronger. I have no intention of itemizing the suffering and pain in her life, so suffice it to say it is one of constant trial and anguish. I can see why some would cringe and give this a lower rating or review due to the graphic content; however, I see every word in this novel as important and integral to the direction of the story.

In a way, it is a typical "harsh reality" book about a person who is struggling who meets someone that makes a difference in his or her life. I love books/movies about teachers and coaches who make a difference! But this book takes it one step further. Precious is born into a situation that is horrendous and devastating; however, she wants more for herself. Her journal writing and her poetry develops throughout the book and adds a lot to the character development. I think the thing that touched me about this book is when Precious asks why she was born into a family of abuse, hatred and neglect. This made me think about why I was born in to my family, a family that values love, respect, education and faith. Certainly our families helped make us who we are today - and Precious's family impacts her dramatically. A very interesting, heartbreaking, and thought-provoking read. I am looking forward to seeing the movie - I hope it does the book justice.

Several years ago, when I was still in high school and believed that although the world wasn't wholly good, it wasn't too bad either, I came across a news item of an eight-year old girl in a Middle East country, who was repeatedly raped by her father, and thus made pregnant as well. The news horrified and numbed me. Reading Push was, in a way, a huge reminder to me of that one incident, the one that probably stripped off the fancy glasses from my irises.

I think...When I read how Precious' motherSeveral years ago, when I was still in high school and believed that although the world wasn't wholly good, it wasn't too bad either, I came across a news item of an eight-year old girl in a Middle East country, who was repeatedly raped by her father, and thus made pregnant as well. The news horrified and numbed me. Reading Push was, in a way, a huge reminder to me of that one incident, the one that probably stripped off the fancy glasses from my irises.

I think...When I read how Precious' mother blamed her for having sex with her husband, I was enraged. There are many cultures where the woman is still blamed for a rape. Then it becomes a social stigma. Push especially brings out the victim's point of view very well. When her father rapes her, he calls her a lot of obscene words. When he thrusts himself into her, she is terribly guilty and confused about the feelings of pleasure that she gets. She doesn't want to enjoy it, and is ashamed of her body for betraying her.

When Precious starts alternative school, she just wants an education. When she sees that the other women with her in the class are as scarred as her, she feels hope for the first time in her life. She admires her teacher, Ms. Rain, and respects her ideas. The bonding she develops with Ms. Rain and the other students is very touching.

Precious starts off being unable to read and write. Under Rain's guidance, she transforms into an educated woman. This is especially evidenced by Precious' writings in her journal, whose pages are occasionally captured in Push. The very first words that Precious writes are:

li Mg o mi m(Little Mongo on my mind)

By the end of Push, she has mastered basic English and started writing poems.

It is occasionally hard to believe that Precious is only sixteen. She shows the maturity of someone much older. Her first daughter, who she named Little Mongo because she has Down's Syndrome (Mongo is short for Mongoloid, an offensive word in itself, also used to refer to the eyes of a person with DS), is being cared for by her grandmother. Because of little awareness of the syndrome, Little Mongo does not receive any special treatment.

Push is a very powerful book written in a raw and nitty-gritty style. It is easy to read and not be affected by it. Being told mostly in first-person, it is a diary of Precious' thoughts. Along with all the goodness in her, you get exposed to her curses and a lot of the choicest words. Deep inside, her innocence and maturity are evident. Her love for her son, Abdul, feels so warm that the reader is happy that he was born, and then you feel guilty of that thought, remembering the circumstance under which he was born. Precious is also confused by the same conflicting emotions. I'd totally recommend this book. Although just under 200 pages, I took a long time to read it, because of the accent of the characters and also the rambling thoughts of Precious, that can sometimes be hard to follow.

Title DemystifiedAlthough this book is about how one girl triumphs over her demons to get over her inhibitions, there is a lesson in it for everyone. At so many places, I could see how a little push can change your destiny one way or the other. What if that teacher had not begged Precious to attend alternative school? What if Precious was not infuriated with her mother? What if Precious never got pregnant but was still raped? Literally when Precious pushes during delivery, and figuratively when Precious pushes herself to learn, evidence of the persevering human spirit can be seen....more

(Reprinted from the Chicago Center for Literature and Photography [cclapcenter.com:]. I am the original author of this essay, as well as the owner of CCLaP; it is not being reprinted illegally.)

Here in Chicago, the Uptown neighborhood where I live is still chock-full of lower-class black families, a situation that originally developed during the "ghettoization" of this neighborhood in the white-flight 1950s; and so among other things, this has led my neighborhood library to stock an entire wall(Reprinted from the Chicago Center for Literature and Photography [cclapcenter.com:]. I am the original author of this essay, as well as the owner of CCLaP; it is not being reprinted illegally.)

Here in Chicago, the Uptown neighborhood where I live is still chock-full of lower-class black families, a situation that originally developed during the "ghettoization" of this neighborhood in the white-flight 1950s; and so among other things, this has led my neighborhood library to stock an entire wall of what they call "African-American Literature," an endless series of horribly bad melodramas that all seem to have covers featuring shirtless gangsters draped in gaudy gold jewelry, with titles like Dark Chocolate and Thug Daddy and with ashamed authors hiding behind such one-word pseudonyms as "Diamond" and "Tiger." And every time I spy this wall of books, I always think to myself, "Why would someone actually read trash like this?" Given how many challenges the average black person in America faces every day just from the mere act of existing, why would they then want to so profoundly reinforce the lazy stereotypes about their race by voluntarily reading such worthless, insulting potboilers? Who would do something like that?

I'm sure it's because of this that it took me so long to become aware of the remarkable 1996 novel Push by one-named author "Sapphire," although now of course just about everyone has heard of it; after all, it's the source material behind the film Precious, which this year racked up all kinds of awards including several Oscar nominations, and has inspired a growing amount of people to declare it the best movie about lower-class blacks ever made. And so it's ironic that the book should happen to be just about the diametric opposite of that "African-American Literature" I was talking about before, in fact more an angry response to those kinds of books than anything resembling them; because without the high-profile film adaptation the novel would've likely faded into obscurity, and ended up getting lumped in with all the other unreadable crap I see at my local library on a daily basis. It highlights a growing problem within the literary community in our Obamian "post-race" age, one that is rarely discussed among polite company -- that for some reason, it's seemingly okay for Caucasians to be offered a broad choice in themes and genres as far as their intellectual entertainment, but among all other races it's considered an unpardonable sin, not only among the white executives making the decisions but even the traditional community leaders within such racial groups. (Don't believe me? Just look at the shameful amount of scorn that black leaders have heaped on the comic strip The Boondocks by Aaron McGruder, merely for attempting to create something enjoyable for black people who happen to be cynical, over-educated and pop-culture savvy.)

Written by a performance poet during the cultural height of the poetry-slam format, the textually complex Push isn't as much the weepy tearjerker you might think it is, but surprisingly enough is actually more like the ghetto version of the 1966 science-fiction novel Flowers for Algernon. See, it's the story of a morbidly obese teenage girl named Precious, who has been dumped on by life in about the most thorough way possible -- raised by an abusive, alcoholic, mentally retarded mother, sexually abused for decades by her father, the teenaged mother of two children of incest, one of whom has Down's Syndrome, unable to read or write, and HIV-positive on top of everything else. But right at the beginning of the novel, Precious is enrolled in an alternative educational organization designed exactly for lumpen-proletariats like herself; and since the whole thing is written in a real-time first-person voice, we literally watch Precious through her diary entries progress from barely being able to communicate to eventually becoming a functioning member of society, just like Flowers for Algernon but without the experimental drug of the former.

This is where Sapphire's performance-poetry background really comes into play; because far from the illegible trainwreck you might think the beginning of such a book might be, she instead carefully combines Precious's broken English with a subconscious but very definite formal structure, to produce a haunting, rhythmic, utterly readable cadence, which much like Toni Morrison's Beloved uses the often derided dialect known as ebonics to instead turn in an unexpectedly powerful tale, a story that flows much more smoothly than you would ever think possible under such circumstances. And also like Flowers for Algernon, Sapphire uses this framework not just to explore language but as an inventive way to dole out story information as well; because as Precious slowly learns to better and better communicate, she simultaneously learns to better and better understand the world around her, resulting in a series of revelations she makes about life throughout the book, and a series of steps taken to make that life better.

In fact, this seems to be Sapphire's main message, which of course so many people seemingly don't get -- that education leads directly to self-understanding, and that self-understanding leads directly to power. And that's why Push is ultimately a positive story, although it practically radiates anger at the world off each page like steam rising from a microwaved burrito; because as Precious starts actually accomplishing things in her life, even little things like reading a letter by herself for the first time or writing her first poem, she comes to realize for the first time not only how destructive the people and circumstances around her have been (something she's always at least kind of understood), but that she also has the choice to walk away from it all if she wants, leading for example to some confrontational scenes with her mother near the end that are some of the most intense moments of the entire manuscript. Precious would've never been able to come to these conclusions, Sapphire seems to be arguing, without the basic education that has trained her mind to start thinking this way in the first place; and that's a great message to convey, I think, that the main point of education is not just some abstract concept like "Reading Is Good," but that it literally changes the way your brain works, so that you can more easily understand both yourself and the environment in which you live.

Now, yes, Push does end on a sour note -- an excruciating 40-page section that is supposed to represent the final class writings of the troubled teens we've been following, full of the exact kind of terrible poetry and weepy memoirs that the rest of this book is an antidote against -- but it's easy enough to just skip this entire section if you want, especially since it's laid out in an entirely different typeface. For the most part, though, I found Push to be a huge surprise, an imminently smarter and more entertaining story than I would ever expect from a project that's been embraced by the mainstream so whole-heartedly, and I'm looking highly forward now to checking out the movie version when it comes out on DVD, if for nothing else than to see how they possibly begin to deal with the overwhelming amount of inner-brain dialogue featured in the book version. It comes highly recommended. ...more

“Pain hit me again, then she hit me. I’m on the floor groaning. Mommy please! Mommy please!” This is only one of the many cries that are shrieked by (Claireece) Precious Jones, a 16-year-old girl, who is pregnant for the second time. No, she didn’t get pregnant by her boyfriend, best friend, or even a random stranger, but by her own father. And this is only the beginning of her problems. This powerful novel written by Sapphire is not only touching but also so breathtaking that I had to stop in “Pain hit me again, then she hit me. I’m on the floor groaning. Mommy please! Mommy please!” This is only one of the many cries that are shrieked by (Claireece) Precious Jones, a 16-year-old girl, who is pregnant for the second time. No, she didn’t get pregnant by her boyfriend, best friend, or even a random stranger, but by her own father. And this is only the beginning of her problems. This powerful novel written by Sapphire is not only touching but also so breathtaking that I had to stop in the middle of a chapter and take a break. Narrated by Precious Jones herself in a diary-like style, she tells the horrific events that happen in her life. Each “entry” is filled with the distressed emotions she feels which are sometimes even too graphic to read all at once. But despite all of the tragic events it tells and teaches lot of meaningful messages to the reader. Push is an astonishing novel to read because of how the author captures the character using the writing style, the influential concepts of abuse that are brought up, and how connected you feel as a reader.

The way the author writes has a very distinct style than any other novel you may have read before. This one not only tells you about the struggle of Precious’ academic skills but shows you as well. Precious is supposed to be in 11th grade but is still in junior high and has the reading level of a 1st grader. She is also told that she can’t return back to school since she is pregnant. Sapphire shows this by incorporating the spelling of the text. Instead of Precious saying “Mother…” it’s written as “Muver…” along with many other grammatical errors throughout the book. Because of its different way of writing you grasp the struggles she goes through more than if you were to just type in a usual form and infer what she struggle with.

Abuse, both physical and mental is a powerful theme brought up in the book. Precious never gets a break and is always harassed by her mom whenever she’s home. She’s gotten kicked, punched, and even objects have been thrown at her! Scared and nervous, Precious stays in her room as long as she can to avoid as much confrontation with her mother as possible. Her father also raped her two times, both of those times she got pregnant by him and her mother just stood by. She had no one to go to for support and comfort. Despite all that her mother and father have done to her she still had the desire to want to go to school, take care of her children, and live her own life! She goes to an alternative school to try to get her G.E.D. so she can go to college even though her mother had screamed and beat her many times for going. And that is why it’s so compelling to read because Precious turns the fact that she has been abused so many times into something to get past and work towards bigger and better things.

As a reader you feel extremely connected to Precious. She talks to the reader by showing you how she feels instead of just telling you. When Precious tells her mom she’s hungry and her mom still doesn’t cook her anything she shows us that by stealing chicken from a local deli down the block. This shows the reader how desperate she was for food and the things she will do to take care of herself. You feel sympathy for her as a reader because of the choices she has to make. As well as showing her emotions, you see a change in her throughout the story that the reader gets attached to. In the beginning of the book she lets her mother push her around but by the end you see that she is independent and wants nothing to do with her.

Push contains characters and a plot that will mesmerize you from the first sentence, as Sapphire makes sure you get sucked into her book. Although this book may be for older teens and adults, the content can be universally discussed about and can relate to many peoples issues dealt with today. All of the things Precious accomplishes in this book make her a role model to young women everywhere....more

I wish I could tell myself that this book is outlandishly over-exaggerated, but I know that it's not. I live in the St Louis, Missouri area and the city's public schools have imploded, lost their accreditation, and have been taken over by the state. There are kids that graduate barely able to read, for real. And it's not just kids in the city being left behind, either - children of meth addicts in rural Missouri are coming of age now soon, and are just as desperately underserved. Too many childrI wish I could tell myself that this book is outlandishly over-exaggerated, but I know that it's not. I live in the St Louis, Missouri area and the city's public schools have imploded, lost their accreditation, and have been taken over by the state. There are kids that graduate barely able to read, for real. And it's not just kids in the city being left behind, either - children of meth addicts in rural Missouri are coming of age now soon, and are just as desperately underserved. Too many children everywhere get let down.

Sorry, getting off my soap box. Anyway, Precious really puts a face on the lives of kids who, for lack of a better phrase, "fall through the cracks." Sapphire captures her growing up and understanding what has happened to her with real warmth. There is a note of optimism, but always tempered with the knowledge that Precious still has a long fight ahead of her.

This is a short, fast book. A person could read it in half an afternoon. I think that small investment of time is more than worth it....more

When I first read this book many years ago, I was initially drawn in by the raw and uncompromising story of a young girl whose life wasn't even remotely happy or positive. But when I overlaid my initial titillation and genuine curiosity with a more critical consideration of this book, I didn't think it was anything more than a bit of over-hyped sensationalism. There are writers who, with less obviousness and far more literary panache, can shock us just as deeply, but on that cerebral level thatWhen I first read this book many years ago, I was initially drawn in by the raw and uncompromising story of a young girl whose life wasn't even remotely happy or positive. But when I overlaid my initial titillation and genuine curiosity with a more critical consideration of this book, I didn't think it was anything more than a bit of over-hyped sensationalism. There are writers who, with less obviousness and far more literary panache, can shock us just as deeply, but on that cerebral level that this book just doesn't seem able to touch. I'm thinking of The Bone People and Fall on Your Knees and Bastard Out of Carolina...all exceptionally good books (and in the case of The Bone People, a great book) that put forth painful stories with a quiet skill not even remotely achieved by this author....more

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.I just finished reading Precious (aka Push) by Sapphire and have thought for the last half hour how I feel about. I’m on the fence – did I like it? Did I hate it? On the one hand, the story has potential. I felt sorry for Precious (who really didn’t seem likable in the novel – different from how I see her in the trailer for the movie) throughout the novel and was happy for her when she started to make a life for herself.

On the other hand (and there are quite a few of these), how could so many baI just finished reading Precious (aka Push) by Sapphire and have thought for the last half hour how I feel about. I’m on the fence – did I like it? Did I hate it? On the one hand, the story has potential. I felt sorry for Precious (who really didn’t seem likable in the novel – different from how I see her in the trailer for the movie) throughout the novel and was happy for her when she started to make a life for herself.

On the other hand (and there are quite a few of these), how could so many bad things happen to one person – rape, incest, illiteracy, HIV, bearing a child, etc. One thing that bothered me was the writing style. Sapphire starts out the book as though Precious were reciting it (Precious is written as a stream of consciousness by Precious). The problem is that the language isn’t consistent. Certain parts are totally comprehensible, and others are incomprehensible (and this is in the beginning of the book, not towards the end where Precious’s literacy improves). Or there is inconsistency with certain words – i.e. switching the word “mother” to “muver” within a few pages of each other. The voice throughout the book was just not genuine.

One thing that bothered me was when Precious was birthing her first child – Mongo. In the hospital, as she’s being questioned by a nurse about her new baby (keep in mind, Precious is 12 years old at this point), she tells the nurse that the father of the baby is her (i.e. Precious’s) father. Would nothing have happened about this? Or was it so common for people to be in incestuous relationships that no one does anything about it? Wouldn’t a nurse have to report this? But no, Precious goes right back to living with her (sexually and physically) abusive mother and then bears ANOTHER child with her father.

What??

The good parts are that she has values. She doesn’t want to turn into her mother. She wants a life for her and her children. She wants to go to university. She wants to find love. It was nice to see that after growing up with no friends and no real family, Precious finds friends within her new school, who turn into her family.

When I finished reading the book, I felt like nothing had really been resolved – and I really wanted there to be a conclusion, some closure. Precious is still studying to get her GED, but I would have liked to see what happens when she gets into the real word. Yes, she severed ties with her abusive mother, but she’s still living in a halfway house talking about how she should get a place for her and her children, and she’s still relying on other people for money – not having a job for herself. And she’s still learning to read.

In the end, I can’t say whether or not I see Precious as being worthy of a recommendation to anyone. Personally, I can think of so many better books to read (ones that don’t include the word “pu**y” throughout). I don’t see what was so earth shattering with this novel – it was easy enough to read (Cormac McCarthy has better novels that make you really pay attention to the dialogue) but it just didn’t seem believable that so many things would happen to one person. If you’re looking for shock factor, then read this book. If you’re looking for something with a resolution, something that makes you feel like you didn’t just waste your time when you’re finished reading, then read something else....more

One could say a lot about this book. I had to put this book down MANY times! Not because of how its written, not because it was anywhere near boring but because it was so raw, so disturbing, so sad and yet there was hope within it too. I also couldn't stop picking it back up. I felt horrible reading such a story as if my reading this was in some way exploiting her. Then I chose to believe that reading such a story isn't exploiting her in fact it's raising awareness that such issues do in fact ocOne could say a lot about this book. I had to put this book down MANY times! Not because of how its written, not because it was anywhere near boring but because it was so raw, so disturbing, so sad and yet there was hope within it too. I also couldn't stop picking it back up. I felt horrible reading such a story as if my reading this was in some way exploiting her. Then I chose to believe that reading such a story isn't exploiting her in fact it's raising awareness that such issues do in fact occur and this is a reality for some people. But maybe that made it easier for me- So I would feel less guilty ready someone elses pain.

THAT made this story even harder to read but Precious is SO strong. Her strength makes you hopeful for her, for her children and for her future.This story is sad. It will make you cringe, it will make you cry and it will make you question how some people can be so god damned cruel...you might even throw up like I did...

But you will never forget Precious Jones and for that you will remember what other people live with...and if nothing else you'll realize you mundane problems really aren't problems....more

I not sure exactly how to feel about this book. I did really enjoy the writing, and I think I could give it to some of my Street Lit fans. Unlike most street lit, the writing is really pretty lovely and I did find myself caring about Precious and her terrible, horrible situation.

Still, I absolutely despise books that thrive on the pain they pile on their characters. Precious has rape, incest, illiteracy, AIDS, multiple pregnancies, obesity, and homelessness to contend with at sixteen years old.I not sure exactly how to feel about this book. I did really enjoy the writing, and I think I could give it to some of my Street Lit fans. Unlike most street lit, the writing is really pretty lovely and I did find myself caring about Precious and her terrible, horrible situation.

Still, I absolutely despise books that thrive on the pain they pile on their characters. Precious has rape, incest, illiteracy, AIDS, multiple pregnancies, obesity, and homelessness to contend with at sixteen years old. I can appreciate that there are probably people alive who have been in her situation, but after a certain point it just begins to feel like icky voyeurism.

This was made into a film that premiered at Sundance earlier this year - to great critical acclaim. I'm interested in seeing that adaptation despite my misgivings about the material. Maybe I'll feel differently about it then. ...more

Verbose as I am, I CAN NOT find words to describe this book. Amazing seems trite but the author wrote a beautiful, extraordinary story. I read about half the book before realizing Precious is fiction. The slim little novel appeared to be a journal and reflection on a three year period of someone’s life. Sapphire uses spelling and grammatical patterns to demonstrate Precious’ world. As Precious’ world expands, so too does the novel’s vocabulary. Brilliant work of art! A poetic novel!Precious is aVerbose as I am, I CAN NOT find words to describe this book. Amazing seems trite but the author wrote a beautiful, extraordinary story. I read about half the book before realizing Precious is fiction. The slim little novel appeared to be a journal and reflection on a three year period of someone’s life. Sapphire uses spelling and grammatical patterns to demonstrate Precious’ world. As Precious’ world expands, so too does the novel’s vocabulary. Brilliant work of art! A poetic novel!Precious is a strong and good young woman caught in horrific circumstances. Through her Sapphire explores a multitude of problems and questions. For example, questions of identity and sexuality, problems of drugs and incest, to name a few topics.One theme was Precious’ love of one of my favorite poets, Langston Hughes. The book provoked memories of some of my favorite poems of his. The world should be thankful that the dream to read this book is not a dream differed!

This is a masterpiece. Horrifying, inspirational, disgusting, touching..and totally believable. The voice in this book rings truer than any I've read in a while.

Precious' voice is so convincing, so consistent, that I'd swear she must exist somewhere. I guess she probably does exist lots of places, just not in this exact form.

I just read that Sapphire was inspired to write this by her years teaching literacy to young women in NYC, and the book is proof that she knows what she's talking about. PThis is a masterpiece. Horrifying, inspirational, disgusting, touching..and totally believable. The voice in this book rings truer than any I've read in a while.

Precious' voice is so convincing, so consistent, that I'd swear she must exist somewhere. I guess she probably does exist lots of places, just not in this exact form.

I just read that Sapphire was inspired to write this by her years teaching literacy to young women in NYC, and the book is proof that she knows what she's talking about. Precious' personality and layers of complexity are deeply convincing. She is neither simple nor stupid, as most of us would judge her if we met her for a minute. Sapphire releases the layers of who Precious is slowly, so that the reader feels like we are passing through time with Precious.

I loved the way that the author makes Precious hard to love and yet impossible to hate. She says and does things that are obnoxious, but the more you see the story behind who she is, the less capable you become of even thinking about judging her.

I was especially touched as a teacher. To see Precious go from zero literacy skills to finding her own awkward, blunt, and powerful voice, was beautiful and again, completely convincing. Sapphire shows that she knows how people can change, and how long and hard they have to work to make it happen.

Ramona Lofton was born in Fort Ord, California, one of four children of an Army couple who relocated within the United States and abroad. After a disagreement concerning where the family would settle, her parents separated, with Lofton's mother "kind of abandoning them". Lofton dropped out of high school, fleeing her abusive father, and moved to San Francisco, where she attained a GED and enrolledRamona Lofton was born in Fort Ord, California, one of four children of an Army couple who relocated within the United States and abroad. After a disagreement concerning where the family would settle, her parents separated, with Lofton's mother "kind of abandoning them". Lofton dropped out of high school, fleeing her abusive father, and moved to San Francisco, where she attained a GED and enrolled at the City College of San Francisco before dropping out to become a "hippie". In the mid 1970s Lofton attended the City College of New York and obtained a MFA degree at Brooklyn College. Lofton held various professions before starting her writing career, working as a performance artist as well as a teacher of reading and writing.Career

Lofton moved to New York City in 1977 and immersed herself in poetry. She also became a member of a gay organization named United Lesbians of Color for Change Inc. She wrote, performed and eventually published her poetry during the height of the Slam Poetry movement in New York. Lofton took the name "Sapphire" because of its one-time cultural association with the image of a "belligerent black woman," and also because she said she could more easily picture that name on a book cover than her birth name.Sapphire self-published the collection of poems Meditations on the Rainbow in 1987. As Cheryl Clarke notes, Sapphire's 1994 book of poems, American Dreams is often erroneously referred to as her first book. One critic referred to it as "one of the strongest debut collections of the 1990s".Her first novel, Push, was unpublished before being discovered by literary agent Charlotte Sheedy, whose interest created demand and eventually led to a bidding war. Sapphire submitted the first 100 pages of Push to a publisher auction in 1995 and the highest bidder offered her $500,000 to finish the novel. The book was published in 1996 by Vintage Publishing and has since sold hundreds of thousands of copies. Sapphire noted in an interview with William Powers that "she noticed Push for sale in one of the Penn Station bookstores, and that moment it struck her she was no longer a creature of the tiny world of art magazines and homeless-shelters from which she came". The novel brought Sapphire praise and much controversy for its graphic account of a young woman growing up in a cycle of incest and abuse.A film based on her novel premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2009. It was renamed Precious to avoid confusion with the 2009 action film Push. The cast included Gabourey Sidibe, Mo'Nique, who won the Academy Award for her portrayal of Precious' mother Mary, Mariah Carey, and Lenny Kravitz. Sapphire herself appears briefly in the film as a daycare worker.Sapphire's writing was the subject of an academic symposium at Arizona State University in 2007. In 2009 she was the recipient of a Fellow Award in Literature from United States Artists.Sapphire currently lives and works in New York City.

She has recently released a companion novel to "Push" that focuses on Precious's son, titled "The Kid". ...more

Well, son, I'll tell you:Life for me ain't been no crystal stair.It's had tacks in it,And splinters,And boards torn up,And places with no carpet on the floor -Bare.But all the timeI'se been a'climbin' on,And reachin' landin's,And turnin' corners,And sometimes goin' in the darkWhere there ain't been no light.So boy, don't you turn back.Don't you set down on the steps'Cause you finds it's kinder hard.Don't you fall now -For I'se still goin', honey,I'se still climbin',And life for me ain't been no crystal stair.- Langston Hughes (112)”
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